Toaster oven

Abstract

A toaster oven of variable volume, including a box-like structure having a top oven portion and a bottom oven portion in telescoping relationship, forming a cavity and a front opening, a pin carried by the top portion, offset from and manually rotatable about an axis, a slot carried by the bottom portion adapted to receive the pin to telescope the top portion and the bottom portion, a door carried by the bottom portion adapted to cover the oven opening in all telescoped positions of the top and bottom, and a system of lever arms connected between the door and the food support rack adapted to slide a portion of the rack through the front opening when the door is opened.

We claim: 
     
       1. An oven having variable spacial volume, comprising box-like structure having a first oven portion including a first endwall, a first rear wall, and first sidewalls, and having a second oven portion including a second endwall, a second rear wall adjacent to said first rear wall, and second sidewalls, said first oven portion and said second oven portion together forming a cooking chamber having a front opening, a food support rack carried by said structure within said cooking chamber, said structure being adapted to be telescopingly movable along an oven axis through said first oven portion and said second oven portion to a compact position in which said cooking chamber is of a first volume and said front opening is of a first size, and to an expanded position in which said cooking chamber is of a larger second volume and said front opening is of a larger second size, means for selectively moving said structure to said compact position and said expanded position, and a door carried by said structure, said door having a first door shoulder and an opposed second door shoulder and said structure having a first oven shoulder adjacent to said first door shoulder and an opposed second oven shoulder adjacent to said second door shoulder, said door being pivotable about a pivot between an open position to allow access to said cooking chamber and a closed position to cover said front opening, said door and said pivot being movable between a first closed position corresponding to said compact position of said structure and a second closed position corresponding to said expanded position of said structure, in each of said compact and expanded positions said door being secured in place on said structure from substantial movement parallel to said oven axis. 
     
     
       2. The oven of claim 1 wherein said first oven shoulder is carried by said first oven portion and said second oven shoulder is carried by said second oven portion, and said door pivots about a door axis generally parallel to said oven axis. 
     
     
       3. The oven of claim 1 wherein one of said first door shoulder and said first oven shoulder carries a first pivot pin located on said door axis, the other of said first door shoulder and said first oven shoulder defines a first orifice on said door axis adapted to receive said first pivot pin, one of said second door shoulder and said second oven shoulder carries a second pivot pin located on said door axis, the other of said second door shoulder and said second oven shoulder defines a second orifice on said door axis adapted to receive said second pivot pin, said door axis being generally transverse to said oven axis. 
     
     
       4. The oven of claim 3 wherein means are provided to move said door axis between a first position corresponding to said compact position of said structure and a second position corresponding to said expanded position of said structure, said axis in said second position being at a greater distance from said first endwall than in said first position. 
     
     
       5. The oven of claim 4 wherein said door shoulders comprise a pair of generally parallel door end walls, said oven shoulders are carried by said first oven portion and comprise a pair of generally parallel first lateral walls, each of said first lateral walls having a front face and an opposite rear face, said rear face being adjacent to one of said door end walls and generally parallel thereto, each of said first lateral walls having a first side wall having a first lateral shoulder and a second lateral shoulder and defining an elongated first slot, said first slots adapted to slidably and rotatably receive said pivot pins, said second oven portion having a pair of second lateral walls each having a first face and a second face, each of said first faces being adjacent to one of said front faces, a pair of connector walls, each of which is cooperative with one of said second lateral walls, each of said connector walls having a first end having an aperture adapted to rotatably receive one of said pivot pins, said pivot pins being received by said apertures and by said first slots adjacent said first lateral shoulders thereof when said structure is in said compact position, and said pins being received by said apertures and by said first slots adjacent said second lateral shoulders thereof when said structure is in said expanded position. 
     
     
       6. The oven of claim 5 wherein each of said second faces carries a finger and each of said connector walls comprises a connector rod located adjacent to each of said second faces having a second end having a first side shoulder and a second side shoulder defining an elongated second slot adapted to slidably receive one of said fingers, said fingers being received by said second slots adjacent said first side shoulder when said structure is in said compact position, and said fingers being received by said second slots adjacent said second side shoulders when said structure is in said expanded position. 
     
     
       7. The oven of claim 4 wherein said first oven portion has a front wall having a first oven edge spaced from said first endwall defining a portion of said front opening, said door axis being proximate said first endwall in said first position and proximate said first oven edge in said second position. 
     
     
       8. The oven of claim 7 wherein said door carries said pivot pins and said first oven shoulder defines a first passage and a second passage, said first passage adapted to removably receive one of said pivot pins to provide support for said door in said first position, and said second passage adapted to removably receive one of said pivot pins to provide support for said door in said second position. 
     
     
       9. The oven of claim 7 wherein said second oven portion has a forward wall having a second oven edge spaced from said first oven edge defining a portion of said front opening and said door has a first door edge proximate said door axis and an opposed second door edge, said first door edge being proximate said first endwall and said second door edge being proximate said second endwall when said door axis is in said first position, and said first door edge being proximate said first oven edge and said second door edge being proximate said second oven edge when said door axis is in said second position. 
     
     
       10. An oven having variable spacial volume, comprising a box-like structure having a first oven portion and a second oven portion, and means for telescoping said first oven portion and said second oven portion relative to one another, said means comprising a first wall on said first oven portion forming a first track generally transverse to the direction of telescoping movement of said structure, a first lever arm carried by said second oven portion pivotable about a first axis, having a first projection offset from said first axis adapted to be received by said first track in sliding engagement therewith, said second oven portion having a wall defining an opening on said first axis adapted to rotatably receive a first crank shaft, said first crank shaft having a proximate end to which is affixed said first lever arm, and having a distal end to which is affixed a first handle by which said first crank shaft can be rotated. 
     
     
       11. The oven of claim 10 wherein said first sidewalls comprise a first righthand sidewall and a first lefthand sidewall generally parallel thereto, said second sidewalls comprise a second righthand sidewall and a second lefthand sidewall generally parallel thereto, said first wall is on said first righthand sidewall and said first lever arm is carried by said second righthand sidewall, said means for moving said structure comprise a second lever arm and a second track, said second lever arm being carried by said second lefthand sidewall and said second track being formed by a second wall on said first lefthand sidewall, said second lever arm being adapted to pivot about said first axis and having a second projection offset from said first axis adapted to be received by said second track in sliding engagement therewith. 
     
     
       12. The oven of claim 11 wherein said means comprises a connecting shaft operatively connecting said first projection and said second projection. 
     
     
       13. The oven of claim 12 wherein said first lever arm comprises a generally circular first gear which carries said first projection proximate its perimeter, said second lever arm comprises a generally circular second gear which carries said second projection proximate its perimeter, said connecting shaft is rotatable about a second axis and has a proximate end adjacent said second righthand sidewall and a distal end adjacent said second lefthand sidewall, a third gear is carried by said proximate end of said connection shaft, said third gear operatively engaging said first gear, a fourth gear is carried by said distal end of said connecting shaft, said fourth gear operatively engaging said second gear. 
     
     
       14. An oven having variable spacial volume and a front opening of variable size enclosable by a door, comprising a first oven portion and a second oven portion together defining a food cooking chamber which communicates with said front opening, said first oven portion including a pair of opposed first sidewalls, a first endwall and a first rear wall between said first sidewalls, and said second oven portion including a pair of opposed second sidewalls, each of which is adjacent to one of said first sidewalls, a second rear wall between said second sidewalls adjacent to said first rear wall, and a second endwall, said first oven portion and said second oven portion being movable with respect to one another to a first position in which said cooking chamber is of a first volume and said front opening is of a first size, and to a second position in which said cooking chamber is of a larger second volume and said front opening is of a larger second size, means for selectively moving said first oven portion and said second oven portion relative to one another to said first position and to said second position, and a door carried by said first oven portion and movable about a pivot, said door and said pivot movable to a first location proximate said first endwall, corresponding to said first position of said first oven portion and said second oven portion, in which said door is pivotable to a closed position to cover said opening and to an open position to allow access to said cooking chamber, and said door and said pivot movable to a second location more distant from said first endwall than said first location, corresponding to said second position of said first oven portion and said second oven portion, in which said door is pivotable to a closed position to cover said opening and to an open position to allow access to said cooking chamber. 
     
     
       15. The oven of claim 14 wherein said door has a pair of generally parallel door end walls, each of which carries a pivot pin, said first oven portion has a pair of generally parallel first lateral walls each of which is adjacent to one of said door end walls, each of said first lateral walls having a front face and an opposite rear face, said rear face being adjacent to one of said door end walls and generally parallel thereto, each of said first lateral walls having a first side wall having a first lateral shoulder and a second lateral shoulder and defining an elongated first slot, each of said first slots adapted to slidably and rotatably receive one of said pivot pins, said second oven portion having a pair of second lateral walls each having a first face and a second face, each of said first faces being adjacent to one of said front faces, a pair of connector walls, each of which is adjacent to and cooperative with one of said second lateral walls, each of said connector walls having a first end having an aperture adapted to rotatably receive one of said pivot pins, said pivot pins being received by said apertures and by said first slots adjacent said first lateral shoulders thereof when said first oven portion and said second oven portion are in said first position, and said pins being received by said apertures and by said first slots adjacent said second lateral shoulders thereof when said first oven portion and said second oven portion are in said second position. 
     
     
       16. The oven of claim 14 wherein said means for moving said first oven portion and said second oven portion relative to one another comprises a first wall on said first oven portion forming a first track, a first lever arm carried by said second oven portion pivotable about a first axis, having a first projection offset from said first axis, said first projection adapted to be received by said first track in sliding engagement therewith, and means to pivot said first lever arm about said first axis. 
     
     
       17. The oven of claim 16 wherein said first sidewalls comprise a first righthand sidewall and a first lefthand sidewall generally parallel thereto, said second sidewalls comprise a second righthand sidewall and a second lefthand sidewall generally parallel thereto, said first wall is on said first righthand sidewall and said first lever arm is carried by said second righthand sidewall, said means for moving said first oven portion and said second oven portion relative to one another comprise a second lever arm and a second track, said second lever arm being carried by said second lefthand sidewall and said second track being formed by a second wall on said first lefthand sidewall, said second lever arm being adapted to pivot about said first axis and having a second projection offset from said first axis adapted to be received by said second track in sliding engagement therewith. 
     
     
       18. An oven having variable spacial volume, comprising box-like structure having a first oven portion including a first endwall, a first rear wall, and first sidewalls, and having a second oven portion including a second endwall, a second rear wall adajcent to said first rear wall, and second sidewalls, said first oven portion and said second oven portion together forming a cooking chamber having a front opening, a food support rack carried by said structure within said cooking chamber, said first oven portion and said second oven portion being adapted to be movable with respect to one another to a first position in which said cooking chamber is of a first volume and said front opening is of a first size, and to a second position in which said cooking chamber is of a larger second volume and said front opening is of a larger second size, means for selectively moving said first oven portion and said second oven portion relative to one another to said first position and to said second position, means to retain said first oven portion and said second oven portion in said first position and said second position, a door carried by said structure pivotable about a door axis to a closed position to cover said opening in said first position and said second position and pivotable to an open position to allow access to said cooking chamber in said first position and said second position, lever means affixed to said door, first engagement means carried by said lever means, and second engagement means carried by said food support rack, said first engagement means adapted to engage said second engagement means and to pull at least a portion of said rack through said front opening as said door is opened. 
     
     
       19. The oven of claim 18 wherein said means for moving said food support rack comprises a first lever arm having a proximate end pivotally affixed to said door and having a distal end affixed to a second lever arm, a slide member carried by said second lever arm, a wall carried by said first oven portion forming a groove generally transverse to the direction of movement of said first oven portion and said second oven portion relative to one another, said groove adapted to receive said slide member in slidable engagement therewith, said first engagement means comprises a leg carried by said second lever arm, said second engagement means comprises a step on said food support rack, said leg adapted to engage said step when said door is opened. 
     
     
       20. The oven of claim 19 wherein said lever means carries an abutment and said structure carries latch means biased to a first position in which said latch means engages said abutment when said door is in said closed position to removably secure said door in said position, and means to move said latch means to a second position to unsecure said door to allow said door to pivot to its open position.